Private John “Jack” Graney
13875 Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment)
John, known as Jack Graney was born 1895 at Westwood, Notts, son of John Graney, a coal miner, born Ironville and Mary Ann (nee Radford) born Kilburn, Notts. He had brothers and sisters Rosamund, Maggie, Ada, Amy and Walter. In 1901 his parents, John and Mary, were living with John’s father, Thomas Graney and his sons Thomas and Arthur. On the 1911 census the family was living at Old Westwood (Palmerston Street) and John, then aged 16, was working as a sanitary pipe maker.
John enlisted on 31st August 1914, disembarking for active service overseas on 31st Dec 1915. He served in the Balkans and was a recipient of the 1914-15 Star, the British War and Victory Medals. On the 12th December 1917, at the age of 22 years and 9 months he was discharged due to wounds sustained and was therefore unable to continue in service. He was awarded Silver War Badge 291660.
In 1926 John, aged 31 married Betsy H. Darrington in the Basford District. They had daughters Cicely b. 1926 Basford and Hilda b. 1935 Basford. John possibly died at Shardlow in 1937, aged only 41.